The Ballad of Spyro
by Jamester0091
Summary: 20 years after Malefors defeat, Spyro and Cynder are raising a family, but destiny throws them into yet another adventure. Spyro and his family unravel a conspiricy involving Malefor that will lead them to hell and back. Part one of three.
1. Lucario showdown

It was a warm summer day in Avalar, 20 years after the final showdown with Malefor. The earth was almost back to normal, but some areas were inaccessible due to the earth reforming awkwardly. As a result, the Elves, Avalaran mages and the dragons combined their magics and created a series of portals to the different realms. Spyro and Cynder had set up a home in Avalar and had decided to raise a family.

"You always go out while I'm stuck watching the eggs!" cried Cynder.

"I'm going out to hunt and have a little excitement."

"But it's boring here!" complained Spyro.

"Exactly." Replied Cynder. So without another word Cynder took off and was out of site in a matter of minutes.

"Good riddance" said Sparx; "Women, am I right?"

Meanwhile, in the Enchanted forest...;

A strange creature was walking through the trees, wandering almost as if he had lost something. He knelt on his knee and examined a track with black paws that had white spikes growing out of the wrists. He stood back up to his 3 foot 11 height and looked around. He resembled the humans of ancient legend but was blue with a tan torso with another spike protruding from his chest, a blue tail that ended in a downward point, and a jackal head, making him resemble Anubis. The he did something strange, a blue glow enveloped him and his dreadlock-like growths on his head stood on end. He opened his red eyes, but they were glowing a bluish-white. Then he stopped glowing, the growths fell, and he started running with a purpose, strait towards Avalar.

Back at the nest, Sparx was pestering Spyro.

"Hey Spyro, how can you tell what element the kids are gonna be?"

"Shouldn't you be getting back to your wife?" Spyro retorted, not being in a good mood with having to watch eggs all day.

"Nah, Shimmer's mad at me, I don't want kids right now, ya know? Besides, you still haven't answered my question."

"Fine!" Spyro said. "The eggs color matches the element, so the red egg will be a fire dragon, the yellow egg will be an electricity dragon and the pink egg will be a healing dragon." 

Just then, an explosion ripped through the canyon.

"What on earth was that?!? yelled Sparx."

"I don't know!" Replied Spyro, looking around for the source of the attack.

Then he head a voice in his mind: [Dragons, no good, any of them.]

"Who's there?!" yelled Spyro. [My name… is Lucario.] just then the smoke cleared and Spyro could see the rather small creature standing on the ledge opposite him.

"What do you want?" asked Sparx.

[The end of dragons!] Then Lucario raised his hands above his head, touching each other and a ball of silver energy formed above them. [FLASH CANNON!] he yelled and brought his hands to bear on the purple dragon, transforming the ball into a double helix beam of energy bearing down on Spyro. In response, Spyro opened his mouth and a geyser of flame issued forth, meeting the beam head on, the attacks fought each other for a moment, the point where they met going back and forth before finally exploding. 

[Your strong, dragon.] said Lucario.

"You ain't seen the half of it! Run Sparx!"

"No need to tell me twice! I'm goin' home!" replied Sparx as he flitted away to safety.

Then Spyro shot an earth missile at the Pokemon, [BONE RUSH!] and a staff-like glowing bone appeared in Lucarios hands, which he used to beat away the missile like it was a fly.

[My turn, FORCE PALM!] Lucario yelled as he leapt towards Spyro with surprising agility, his hand stretched out. Spyro put his wings in front of him to guard against the impact, but to no avail, upon contact, a surge of energy pierced Spyros wings and completely enveloped him in a conical blast of light, throwing him back and hitting the cliff wall. Hard. He fell and landed next to the nest. The attack did no damage to his body, but he felt like a mountain had crushed him.

(I've got to get away from the nest to keep it safe.) thought Spyro. 

Spyro got up and floated in the air curled in a ball, then he issued a blinding flash of electricity and flew up and out of the canyon. Lucario looked around for the dragon once his vision returned and saw his tail disappearing over the lip of the canyon.

[Coward.] Lucario said with a sneer. And yelled [EXTREMESPEED!] and jumped the 60 feet to the top as if it were nothing. The second he flew out of the canyon though, he met a storm of fist sized ice shards, throwing him back to the opposite side of the canyon.

(Good, that actually worked.) Thought Spyro as he took off across the canyon, (Time for one of my new moves I've been practicing...) Lucario still hadn't recovered from the icy blast and could only look up at the dragon flying towards him. When Spyro got above Lucario he transformed into a spiked boulder and plummeted towards the Pokemon, half way down though, he combined it with his comet dash and hit the ground as a flaming meteor traveling at mind numbing speeds.

Just before impact though, Lucario yelled [COUNTER!] the result was the boulder vaporizing on impact and Spyro flying from Lucario with such force that he dug a seventy foot trench in the ground with his body.

His vision fading fast he heard a thought: [Now for those accursed eggs.]

"The eggs!" yelled Spyro as he suddenly came to out of sheer will. He got up and raced toward Lucario who was standing at the edge of the canyon with his hands one over the other at his side, a glowing, spiraling blue orb between them.

[AURA SPH-] was all he could get out before Spyro slammed into him from behind, throwing them both down the canyon, Spyro, being able to fly, pushed Lucario the wall and shoved his into face against the rough stone flying past them.

[Get off me you reptile!] yelled Lucario. They hit the ledge with Spyro on top. He jumped off and hovered there as Lucario got up. 

[You'll pay for that you filthy lizard!] spat Lucario. [AURA SPHERE!] and another blue ball hurled at Spyro much to fast to dodge. It hit with devastating impact, breaking a few ribs and causing blood to spurt from Spyros mouth. Spyro again flew back and hit the wall, but he was in too much of a paternal rage to feel the pain. He got right back up and flew straight at Lucario, catching him and piercing his flesh with four inch claws to ensure there was no escape. With Lucario pinned to the wall Spyro glared at him, smoke coming out of his nostrils.

[But how? This is impossible!] cried Lucario. And with that Spyro unleashed convexity, a beam of twisted space and time that disintegrated everything it touched. Spyro wrenched his claws out of the body and let it drop to the ground, minus the head.

Spyro limped over to the nest and just sat there or a while thinking about what had just happened when Cynder came back.

"Ok Spyro, I found- Jeez!" What happened to you?

Spyro explained everything that happened while Cynder just sat there dumbstruck.

When Spyro was finished, she said "And to think, I went out to get some excitement." Then she sidled up to Spyro, "Well thank you for protecting the eggs."

"You're welcome Cynder." said Spyro "I love you."

"I love you to Spyro." replied Cynder, then she began to lick his wounds. When she was finished, she looked at his overall condition and said "I just wish there was something I could do for your ribs."

"Maybe there is." replied Spyro. "Bring me the pink egg."

"Why?" asked Cynder. "I have an Idea." said Spyro.

Once the egg was in front of him, he touched it with his nose and focused. Then a spiraling stream of pink mist surrounded the egg and traveled to Spyro, enveloping him too. After a minute, the mist dissipated. Afterwards Spyro stood up and put the egg back.

"You're healed?" Asked Cynder.

"Yep, I was right about Selenas egg."

"Selena?! Why Selena? And how do you know it's a girl?" Asked Cynder, bewildered. Spyro simply said "Because she told me."

"Can you do that with the other two?" asked Cynder.

"No, I don't think so." replied Spyro. "So did you get anything on your hunt? I'm starved!"

"Yes, I found a grublin." Said Cynder, but she couldn't hold back the smirk at Spyros look of horror. "Oh, I'm just kidding! I caught a deer, Is that better?"

"Yes." Spyro said with a sigh of relief.

While they were eating, Cynder looked up and said "You know, maybe later, I could… thank you for guarding the eggs."

"What do you mean by- Oh!" said Spyro "Maybe..." "Hey Cynder?"

"Hmm?"

"I got an Idea"

"What it?" asked Cynder, curious. Spyro leaned over and whispered something in her ear and Cynder blushed. They quickly finished eating and once night came they flew out of the canyon to the privacy of a cave and went inside.

You, yeah you. That's it. That's the end of this chapter. Spyro and Cynder deserve some privacy don't you think? If you want to know what happens inside the cave, close your eyes and use your imagination. Cause I'm not writing it.

Prologue

The Lucario in this story had a family, but it was killed by Team rocket. The Rocket that killed them used a Salamence, so the Lucario, in his grief went to the Pokemon tower and at the gravestones of his beloved wife and children, swore revenge on all dragons. Then, he challenged the ultimate dragon, Palkia. Palkia swept him aside and using its control over space, flung him into another world entirely. This world just happened to be Spyros


	2. Meet the kids

It was a busy day in a certain canyon in the realm of Avalar. Spyro and his family were going to the new vacation spot that had just opened, Dragon Shores. It was time to go, but Spyro was nowhere to be seen.

"Zoulu, Fever! Hurry up! Selenas already at the portal!" Cynder yelled back to her lollygagging children.

"Coming!" They said in unison.

Zoulu got there first. "I win! I win!" She yelled, clearly exited with herself for finally beating her larger brother.

"I can't believe I actually lost…" Fever muttered to himself, low enough so the others couldn't hear.

Selena was a pink dragoness with a pinkish purplish underbelly, horns, and short spikes running the length of her spine. As a pink dragon, she was gifted with healing properties. Her wings were a pale red.

Zoulu was a yellow lightning dragoness with a red underbelly and wings the same shade as her mother. Her skull also took after her mother, being bird-like with six horns lining the side of her face. The bottom four took after her mother, but her top horns were identical to her father. She had ridges running down her back with a tail that ended in a notched blade like her mother.

Fever was a red fire dragon, his face was broad and slightly resembled Spyros. His horns were like his mothers and he had flame shaped crests running the length of his spine. His underbelly was a beautiful gold and his wings were a brilliant crimson. His tail had nothing on the tip.

"Now we just have to wait for dad." Zoulu said.

"Where is that purple oaf anyway?" asked Cynder.

"I think he said he was getting uncle Sparx and aunt Shimmer." Selena piped.

"Awesome!" said Fever, "Uncle Sparx is funny!"

"Well that's just great," mumbled Cynder, "Were gonna be here a while."

"Hey I got an Idea!" exclaimed Fever, "Lets play target practice while we wait."

"You always want to play target practice!" Complained Selena.

"Hey just 'cause your pink and don't have breath attacks…" Retorted Fever.

Then Zoulu said "Hey! How bout Selena play the target? She can heal!"

Suddenly Selena was on top of Zoulu with her paw on Zoulus throat "Take it back!" she hissed.

"Ok! Ok! I was jus kidding anyway! Now get off!"

"Not until I get you back!" said Selena with a smirk. Then she stuck a claw in her mouth and got it slobbery and stuck it in Zoulus ear.

"NOOOO! WET WILLY! Screamed Zoulu"

"Get off her and behave Selena!" said Cynder.

As she complied Cynder turned to Zoulu, still on the ground and said "That was a very mean thing you said… Fever! Quit laughing! It's not funny! Anyway, I don't blame her for giving you a wet willy. Now go apologize."

"Sorry Selena." "Just don't do it again OK?" said Selena.

"So are we going to play targets or what?" asked Fever.

"Sure." Replied Zoulu, "We'll use those rocks over there."

Selena: "Humph!"

Fever and Zoulu were standing side by side, face the outcropping of boulders fifty paces off when Fever opened his mouth and an orange fireball issued forth, tearing through the air and splatting against the first boulder, leaving a black scorch mark dead center. "Yes! Bullseye!" shouted Fever.

"Nice, but watch THIS." Said Zoulu, then she opened her mouth and a lightning bolt shot from her mouth and tore into the same boulder, blasting a small chunk out of the boulder in the middle of the scorch mark.

"Humph!" was all fever said before opening his mouth and, determined to show up his sister, tried forming his largest fireball ever. Instead a spiral of flame shot from his mouth and hit the boulder and circled it again and again, engulfing the boulder in a towering column of fire. Eventually Fever cut the flow of mana and said "Wow! I-I've never seen anything like that!"

Suddenly they head their mother, who was pacing a ways off, waiting for her mate to return with that annoying lantern he calls a friend shouting at them. "What's happening?! Is everyone alright?"

"Yeah mom, everything's alright." said Selena, "Fever just found a new move to show off."

"Ok," she sighed, "as long as nobodies hurt."

"Yeah, were all fine, I'm a little tired though." Replied Fever.

"Your manas low" Selena told him "you should finish busting that rock open, there are green crystals inside."

"How do you know?" asked Zoulu.

"I have an affinity for magic, remember? I can sense things." replied Selena. thinking (I wish I could find a spellbook or something.)

"Let me try!" said Zoulu, She focused all her will on a powerful blast and a ball of energy formed a few inches in front of her face, then a large bolt of lightning shot out and instantly branched out into countless smaller bolts, fanning out and reducing the target boulder and several others to pebbles. Then they were all startled by a huge explosion of thunder, but before any of them could recover, Zoulu collapsed.

"Told you," said Selena "You use too much mana with those large attacks. It'll get easier the more you do it but for now you should go to those crystals and recuperate, I'll get Zoulu."

Sure enough, in the rubble, there was a large green crystal, easily Cynders height. Fever and Selena approached the massive glowing gem and felt energy flowing into them. Within minutes, Fever felt back to 100% and Zoulu had come to.

"What happened?" She asked.

Selena, sighing repeated "You used too much mana with that attack, but it'll get easier the more you do it." So they continued practicing until they saw the silhouette of a dragon on the horizon.

"Finally, " muttered Cynder "now we can get going.

As Spyro landed in the canyon, Sparx and a silver dragonfly caught up with him.

All three of the children yelled "Uncle Sparx! Aunt Shimmer!"

The dragonfly couple flitted over to the young dragons and told them about the trip there and what was going on in the dragonfly realm.

Cynder walked over to the group and got Shimmers attention, "So why are you coming with us?"

"Are you kidding?" replied Shimmer "we need a break from all the frogweeds. And besides, a new resort is an irresistible attraction for my husband."

"You know, I know it's not dragon custom, but I've been thinking about asking Spyro to marry me." Said Cynder.

"Hmmm.. A dragon wedding, now THAT would be a sight!" commented Shimmer

"So is everyone ready to go?" asked Spyro. "Spyro, we've been ready to go for hours!" exclaimed Cynder "You could have told me you were going to get Sparx."

"Sorry honey." Was all Spyro could think to say, and then he remembered to add, "You're pretty!"

Cynder just rolled her eyes at that but accepted his apology. "Anyway, lets go."

"OK." Said Spyro, then turned to his kids. "I'll warn you though, most people puke their first time through a portal, so brace yourself."

With that, they took off as one and flew across the sprawling green hills and beautiful cliffs, rivers and waterfalls that made up the paradise known as Avalar valley. They eventually came to what used to be the forbidden passage to Warfang, but when the Earth split and reformed, the passage was crushed, so the Avalarans proposed to put a portal there. The portal itself was a stone arch with gold inlays and magic runes. When you look through the portal, instead of seeing the stone wall an the other side, you see a field of light blue continuing to eternity.

One by one they stepped though the portal. First Spyro, then Cynder, then Shimmer, followed by Sparx.

Before he went through, he looked over his shoulder and said to the kids, see ya there! And then the kids were alone.

"So who goes first?" said Fever.

"What are you scared?" taunted Zoulu.

"NO! Ok, I'll go first. But you have to go next Zoulu."

She glared at him, "Fine."

With that he stepped forward, hesitated only a moment, then stepped though. Zoulu shook off her nerves and stepped through. Once Selena was alone, she knew she couldn't NOT go but was scared. She decided to take it at a run so she couldn't change her mind halfway. So she readied and took off, head down in a full charge. A full charge right into the stone archway.

"Oww…" she moaned. Once her head cleared she said "Forget it." And calmly walked through the portal.

Their father wasn't lying when he said it would be unpleasant, there was the sensation of flying, but that was the only good thing. Selena couldn't tell up from down, left from right or which way she was going. There was no wind and she couldn't tell if she was moving. On top of that, it felt like she was being squeezed though a rubber tube much too small for her and at the same time she felt like she was expanding till she would burst. After what seemed an eternity, she came out at a beach with rock cliffs behind her and an ocean in front, but that wasn't what caught her attention. She had stepped out of the portal right into a pool of her siblings vomit. She hardly had time to be disgusted before she added to the mess.

"Told you." she heard her father say.


	3. The battle of Dragon shores

After the young dragons had recovered, Spyro led the way down the beach and got to a series of huts, but not normal huts. These were big enough so even the largest dragons could reside comfortably in one. Just then, a strange bear-like creature approached.

"Hello! Hello! Welcome to Dragon shores, the finest beachfront resort in the world and the only one tailored to dragons! My name is Moneybags, How may I be of service?"

Spyro spoke first, "We'd like three places to stay please."

"Ok, that'll be 3000 gems." Moneybags told them.

"What are gems?" Cynder asked.

"Don't be stupid! Everyone know gems are the up and coming currency! No gems, No service!" "So what'll it be?"

"But, we don't have any gems." replied Spyro.

"Then you can leave." Moneybags said simply.

Just as Spyro was about to complain, Sparx said, "Wait! I have a little bit put aside put aside for a rainy day." and pulled out a beautiful diamond from behind his back.

"Ohhh! A 5000 piece! Welcome! Welcome! You can have the huts of your choice and free access to everything at dragon shores for the length of your stay!"

Sparx handed over the precious gem and said "Nice doin' business with ya!"

"And you, good friend!" replied Moneybags.

As they were walking away, Spyro turned to Sparx and said "Sparx, how'd you get a gem like that?"

"Well," started Sparx "Remember before we took down Malefor I picked the gate key from that crusty hermit?"

"Yeah… wait. You didn't!" exclaimed Spyro.

"I did."

When Spyro and the group got to the huts, He and Cynder got the roomiest one they could find while the Children picked a slightly smaller one a few huts down. Sparx and Shimmer picked the smallest one, feeling overwhelmed by the size of the bigger ones. It was Midday so they went down to the beach.

Sparx said "You guys go ahead, me and Shimmer want some alone time." winking at Spyro.

Spyro shuddered (Like I want THAT image in my head.) he thought.

They got to the beach and the kids immediately dove in the ocean and had fun flying underwater.

Fever turned to the others and said "Hey watch this!" and using his new found control over his mana he and Zoulu got from target practice, put his head underwater and shooting what in the air would have been a narrow jet of flame, created a torrent of bubbles as big as his head that quickly engulfed him and heated the water to bath temperature.

Zoulu shrieked and dove headfirst into the mass of foam and tackled her brother, they wrestled underwater for a bit till they called it quits to get some air.

When they surfaced, Selena was waiting for them and used her wings to drench them in a wave, which started a waterfight.

"Kids." said Cynder and leaned over to Spyro to kiss him, but was surprised when he was already there and met her. Their lips meeting in a sweet, caring embrace. This continued for awhile, then Spyro tried something he learned in one of his trips to the dragon temple library: He focused his mana and let his thoughts and emotions travel though their lips and to Cynder.

Cynder, completely surprised by this sudden, but pleasant invasion of her mind, broke the kiss. "What was that?"

"A trick I picked up" replied Spyro "I hope someday I can do this with you over distances."

"Well I like this too." said Cynder before kissing him deeply again, Relishing in the love she felt that wasn't hers. She tried sending her emotions to Spyro and was rewarded when he deepened the kiss further, pushing his tongue into her mouth and she heard [You catch on quick] she wrapped her tongue around his, intensifying the mental connection and said [These are some easy lessons]

Just then, Fever looked over at his parents and said "Ewww!" Selena look at him and said "If you think that's gross, you don't want to know what Uncle Sparx and Aunt Shimmer are doing."

Later that night, they were all in their huts. Spyro and Cynder were on a bed of the softest material they had ever felt. They were laying next to each other, their wings draped over each other and they were talking, not with their mouths, but their minds and hearts.

[This was a great idea Cynder.] said Spyro.

[Thanks, I knew you sometimes feel guilty about the lives lost to Malefor. That's why I fell in love with you, You always put others before yourself. And your looks don't hurt either.]

[I could say the same about you.] Spyro said [Selena seemed happy when she found the library, she said something about spellbooks. She might finally get to sculpt that talent of hers.]

[But what if she gets into magic to complex for her?] asked Cynder, concerned.

[Don't worry, If she doesn't have the mana to perform a spell, It just wont work.] With Cynders fears settled they fell asleep sharing minds, reveling in the love the other felt for them.

Early the next morning, they woke to Explosions and shouting.

They ran out side, Cynder running to her children to make sure they were safe and Spyro scanning the sky.

"What are you doing Spyro?" asked Cynder.

"I could have sworn I heard wings." He replied.

"Well this IS dragon shores dad." Zoulu said, and then they saw it, a dragon bearing down on them. It was a Crimson dragon; the wings were a deep wine red with snow-white spikes running the length of his spine. His eyes were a fiery vermillion but most curiously, there was what looked like an Avalaran riding him like an animal!

As they got closer Selena whispered "No way." "Dad, that's a Human!" The rest of them looked at her like she was crazy.

"A human?" asked Cynder, "That's impossible, Humans are only legends, fantasy."

"Tell HIM that." said Spyro as the Dragon and rider swerved to the left and continued down the beach, setting huts aflame with crimson fire that spouted from the dragons mouth.

"This is crazy!" said Cynder, surprised that an actual human was attacking them. "Not so much." said a voice from behind them. They all turned around and came face to face with Cynder.

"What the?!" cried Spyro, Who are you?

"There will be time for that later." said the dragon that looked uncannily like Cynder except she was snow white.

"First we need to stop this destruction." "Cynder, come with me, were going to put out these fires." "The rest of you go fight that human and dragon pair."

Spyro, Fever and Zoulu took off towards the red dragon while Cynder and the mystery dragon went to the huts to stop the blaze from spreading. Selena went with her mother to heal any people caught in the fires.

Cynder and the white dragon arrived at the huts, the stranger opened her mouth, and a blast of frigid air flew out, crystallizing any water in the air and extinguishing any fire that fell across its path. Cynder follower suit, and shot a blast of wind, putting out another set of fires and creating a few dust devils. Selena went down to the wreckage to search for survivors.

"You control wind?!" exclaimed the white dragon "But you're a shadow dragon!"

"There will be time for that later." Cynder mimicked

"Tou che." Then they proceeded to put out the rest of the fires.

Selena meanwhile had found a dragoness about her age in the smoldering wreckage, She quickly winged over to her.

"Help me, please!" she cried.

"Don't worry, I'm here to help. What's your name?"

"Spyder."

"Ok Spyder, just stay still." Selena told her. Selena touched Spyders burnt and charred body with her wing claws, feeling it cringe in pain at her touch, but then a Pink mist emanated from Selenas nose and mouth and surrounded them. They couldn't see though it, but Selena could feel Spyders muscles relaxing. When the mist cleared, Spyder, stood up, healed.

"Wow, that's good stuff." Spyder said "Thanks."

No problem Selena said, looking at Spyder.

She was a black dragoness, her underbelly was segmented and a vibrant purple. Her front legs had purple "boots." Her wings and crests were purple and her horns, claws and eyes were all the yellow of an autumn moon. Her six horns were in the same positions as her mothers, and even looked the same. (It must be a shadow dragon thing) Selena thought.

"Come on, lets go find my mom!" Selena said.

"Ok, was that her putting out fires?" asked Spyder

"Yeah, the black one." And they took off towards the remaining fires.

Back with Spyros group, they had followed the red dragon for a ways, eventually getting to a small castle.

The dragon landed and the rider dismounted and, muttering something under his breath, the gate suddenly tore itself of its hinges and crashed to the ground. Moneybags stormed out and surveying the damage, started raging.

"Look what you've done! Do you know how much this will take to repair?! What do you have to say for yourself?" The man just stood there. "Well?! Say something !!" yelled Moneybags.

"Very well." Said the man. "Jierda kalfis."

Suddenly there was a loud crack and Moneybags fell to the ground screaming, his legs broken. "What did you do to me?!" cried Moneybags.

"You mean it isn't obvious?" "Maybe this one will make more sense to you."

"Deyja." And Moneybags instantly stopped moving. Dead.

Spyro caught up first using one his newer elements, wind to push himself forward. He reached the pair and seeing Moneybags, realized there would be no negotiating.

He opened his mouth and let a jet of fire loose. The dragon saw him and spewed forth his own torrent. They met head on, neither giving way. Spyro had to stop in midair to avoid flying into the inferno.

Fever and Zoulu caught up and attacked the rider; Fever used his spiraling flame, whereas Zoulu shot a powerful sheet of lightning, but focused it into a column.

The rider said "Skolir" and the fire and lightning covered him in a dome shape but didn't touch him.

Spyro, meanwhile, had increased the mana flowing into his fire, making it blue and much hotter, and it was pushing the red dragons fire back when the rider yelled "Brisingr!" and a stream of fire came from his hand and joined his dragons flame, again equalizing the power.

Then, raising his other hand, he said "Fricai brisingr!" and black fireballs shot from his hand and rocketed towards the children. They looked with horror as the meteors of death approached.

When they got close though, they exploded, hitting an invisible barrier that flashed pink each time a fireball hit. They looked around and saw a new black and purple dragoness and Selena looking at them with her hands glowing pink and outstretched at them.

"How'd you do that?!" asked Zoulu.

"I found a spellbook at the library. I picked up a few other things too. You'll see"

Spyro and the dragon gave up trying to win and cut the fire; the five dragons landed and approached the rider and dragon, who didn't attempt to attack.

"Who are you and what do you want?" he asked.

"My name is Murtagh. I'm a Dragon Rider." Said the man.

"Not you, the dragon." retorted Spyro.

"Thorn only speaks to me, dragon." Murtagh said coldly. "I was teleported here by my cursed brother, Eragon and in a dream a dragon told me if I destroy enough places, the purple dragon would show himself." "And if I could transfer his spirit to the dragons body, he could return me to Alagaesia with twice the power of Galbatorix."

"Malafor." Growled Spyro "I'll never turn to darkness!" Just then, he saw his mate and the white dragon approaching from behind Murtagh. (These guys are too powerful, we only have one shot.) he thought. Then with all his will, he focused on Cynder. [Cynder, Attack them on my mark! Tell your friend!] He hoped it got through.

"Are you guys ready?" Spyro asked. [NOW CYNDER!] he yelled.

"Now!" He told the children, and tapped in the convexity and shot a beam of dimensional energy,

"Skolir!" yelled murtagh and the energy hit the bubble but couldn't penetrate.

Thorn ran to stop Spyro but Spyders eyes started glowing white and thorns legs sank into the earth, which had become a mass of shadow.

Then Fever shot a spiral of flame, which collided with the bubble, Zoulu Shot a bolt of lightning into the dark clouds, which had gathered overhead. Selena began to glow and opening her mouth, a bluish-white beam shot out and hit the bubble, Cynders mouth meanwhile started to glow green and a beam of green light with a smaller beam spiraling around it came out and hit the bubble, causing the bubble to sag and bend.

"What?" Murtagh exclaimed "More of them?" then, the white dragon opened her mouth and a rainbow beam shot out and hit the ground way short of Murtagh and it swept across the ground, encasing anything it touched in solid ice, which shattered a moment later, destroying whatever was caught till it hit the bubble. The combined forces of the five attacks shattered the shield and stunned Murtagh. Just then, the clouds, which had been amplifying Zoulus electricity, let loose a massive lightning bolt, striking down Murtagh.

As Murtagh fell, burnt beyond recognition, Thorn started screaming and flailing. Then he fell to the ground and he and Murtagh took their last breath together.

"It's over." Spyro sighed. "Is everyone alright?" When every one had confirmed, They started searching for Sparx and Shimmer.

They got to their hut and found a note reading:

Dear Spyro and family,

We didn't come here to get burned up so if you don't mind we're heading home before that dragon comes back, I barely avoided getting roasted. We've got something to tell you when you get back! See ya bro! Sparx & Shimmer.

That out of the way, they all headed back to Spyros hut and talked about what happened to their respective group.

"So what's your name?" Fever asked the black dragoness.

"SPIDER!" she yelled.

Fever was nearly out the door, screaming before she said "Kidding! That's my name, Spyder."

"O-oh I knew that…" he stammered, blushing. "Mines Fever."

"Fever huh?" Spyder said, ducking her head.

Then the white dragon turned to Cynder and said, "So how can you use wind and shadow?"

"I was exposed to Malafors darkness as a child; I can also manipulate poison and fear."

"Makes sense." said the snowy dragon. "If he combined the darkness spell with his own convexial energy, that would work." "can you manipulate convexity?"

"Yes." Cynder answered "But not as good as Spyro." Then she said, "You still haven't answered our question though, who are you?"

The Dragoness was Snowy white. Her nose was slightly broader than Cynders. She had a cyan oval on her forehead with eight cyan horns in the same shape and formation as Cynder. She had a red ? shaped mark running through the middle of her left eye down to below her mouth, her eyes were a deep cerulean. Her underbelly and wings was the same shade of red as Cynder, her wing claws were broad spikes. Her tail ended in a leaf shaped blade with a notch in it. Lastly she had a choker and anklets on her front and back legs.

"My name is Icera." "Cynder, this may be hard to believe, but I'm your mother."

To be continued…

Icera and Spyder belong to


	4. Iceras history

"My name is Icera. Cynder, this may be hard to believe, but I'm your mother." said the white dragon.

Everyone in the hut stopped what they were doing and stared at the dragoness.

After the longest while, Cynder managed to get out "Wh-wh-what?"

"I said I'm your mother." Icera repeated. Again, silence. "Well I can see you need time to let it sink in. I'll go clean up the mess we made earlier." With that, she turned and left the hut.

Spyro walked over to Cynder, who looked ashen. "Honey, are you alright?" After Cynder didn't answer, Spyro wrapped his wings around her in a comforting embrace and focused his mana. Instantly, he felt a surge of emotion rolling from his beloved. Shock at what had transpired, Guilt at never even wondering about her parents, Newfound love for a mother she never knew existed, and curiosity about her father.

Spyro allowed some of his confidence and love to transfer to Cynder and finally she said [I have a mother?] Then Spyro was assaulted by a new emotion. Hatred.

"Why was she never there?" She yelled aloud, Startling everyone in the room. "Why didn't she try to find me?!" "She must have known Malafor had me under his control! Why didn't she save me?!" She yelled, beginning to cry. Spyro had to break contact with her because of the emotion intensity.

Suddenly, Cynder began to give off a black smoke crackling with electric arcs and her eyes began to glow white.

[Cynder, you must stop this!] Spyro said.

[Why should I?!]

[For me, for yourself, for your children. What will doing this accomplish anyway?] then, Spyro, braving the onslaught of negative energy, kissed Cynder, showing her his love physically and mentally.

Selena, Fever and Zoulu ran over and hugged their mother, "don't do this!" Selena cried.

"We love you mom." Said Fever.

Zoulu said nothing but wished her mother would return to sanity. Cynder, seeing and feeling this, eventually got control of her emotions and calmed down, her glowing ceased and the smoke dissipated.

"Are you ok now?" asked Spyro.

"I'm fine." Thank you all." She replied.

Spyder was just staring in shock at what had happened. "What on earth was that?" she exclaimed.

"Long story." Said Fever.

Cynder tuned to the rest of them. "I need to ask here a couple of questions."

They left the tent and took off towards the castle, six dragons flying as one. They got to the castle and found Icera among a field of red ice that was slowly melting, the bodies of the dragon, human and moneybags were nowhere in site.

"Took you long enough. Stated Icera "Can you help me dispose of the bod- I mean ice?"

"What happened to moneybags?" Asked Spyro

"You mean it isn't obvious dad?" said Selena, who began to use a heat spell to melt the ice.

"Eeew." Said Spyder, disturbed by the concept.

Spyro and Fever used their fire breath to melt the ice whereas Cynder used her dark flames.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Spyder, how do you do that?

Cynder cut the flames and turned to the young dragon. "It's simple once you get the idea." She said. "Focus your mana through your mouth instead of releasing it.

Spyder tried this and was surprised when several balls of blue and black fire surrounded him and shot off in different directions, causing several others to duck.

"Oops, sorry!" she called, and tried again, knowing what would happen, she tried focusing on a patch of ice, this time the flames only scattered a short distance before converging on the target from several directions, sublimating the ice directly into a bloody vapor,

"Oh jeez! Run!" Yelled Spyder, they all escaped the red cloud, which while not dangerous, would just be gross to breathe. Cynder used her wind breath to blow it out to of their way and they all retuned to finish cleaning up the mess.

With the dark deed done. They were finally able to talk. Cynder was the first to speak.

"So, umm Mom?"

"Please, call me Icera." she said.

"Ok, Icera. My first question is-"

"Where I was all this time." The white dragon interrupted, looking down. "Lets search this castle for some food, this is a long tale." After a while, Spyder found the kitchen. Selena asked to be excused, as she wanted to return to Moneybag's library. Once the rest of them had found what they wanted to eat, Icera started her story.

"When I was about the age of your children, Ninety years ago me and my three sisters, Inferna, Terra and Electra were chosen to be the future guardians of the Midnight dragon temple." "This is a temple far to the north, you've never been there." "Everything went fine for forty years until we came of age and the ceremony of passing the guardianship to the next generation was to take place." "At the midnight temple, three of the guardians are subordinate to the eldest, who was me." "Electra however, wanted the title and the power that comes with it for herself."

Flashback

A knock on Iceras door. "Come in." she told the visitor. The door opened and Electra, a yellow dragon walked in.

"Oh, Electra! What do you want?"

Electra, looking out the window said "I've been thinking about the guardianship." "The role of Prime guardian is a huge responsibility Icera." "Are you sure you want that?"

Icera turned to her sister "Well to be honest, no. But I've been chosen Electra, what choice do I have? I'll do my best and make the best of it."

"What if…" started Electra "You gave the role to me?"

"Electra!" exclaimed Icera "That's forbidden, you know the rules."

"But why?" Electra said flatly, still looking out the window.

"Because the eldest sibling is, from life experience, the strongest and wisest." Something struck Iceras mind, "Why haven't you looked me in the eye?"

"Because of what you've forced me to do." Replied Electra

"What do you mean?" asked Icera, taking a step back.

"I'm sorry sister." Electra said, tears rolling down her face. Then she arched her tail over her head and a beam of electricity arced to her sister and looped around her neck, lifting her from the ground. Electra swung her tail up and Icera followed, slamming into the ceiling in a bone jarring impact, the lightning dragon swung her tail and positioned her sister in front of the window, then simultaneously she released her sister and pounced on her, claws glowing and crackling with energy. She hit her sister with enough impact to send them both through the window and fall several stories to a pool of icy water below. Icera fought back, tearing at her sisters belly with her hind claws, but Electra's underbelly scales were hard as steel. So Icera fanned out her left wing and bit her sisters right shoulder, causing her to scream and reflexively open her right wing. The resistance on the open wings flipped them over so Icera was on top. As they plummeted towards the pool, Icera pushed against her sister and flared both wings, causing her sisters claws to tear out of her, along with a gush of blood.

As Electra hit the water, Icera let loose a blast of frigid breath, freezing the entire pool, Electra along with it.

"Why? Why did you make me do it?" cried Icera, hovering above her entombed sister.

Suddenly, the ice glowed yellow and the entire pool shattered, a bolt of lightning barley missing Icera. The bolt continued into the clouds, which responded by sending a bolt of its own back down. Icera looking down at Electra who was clearly almost suffocated in the ice never saw it coming. As she fell, she barely had the strength to open her wings and glide over the pond of razor sharp ice shards.

She landed and turned to face her sister, who had regained her breath. "See?!" Electra yelled to the other dragons inhabiting the garden. "Iceras not strong enough to lead! I'll kill her and do it myself!" then she shot lightning from her tail and used it to fling massive shards of ice at her sister.

Icera could create ice, not unmake it, so she took off, using a combination of aerial maneuvers and rainbow beams of icy energy to stop the ice and get closer to her sister. She was almost within striking distance when a chunk of ice flew and tore her right wing off. Icera fell, screaming to her sisters feet, a pool of blood forming around her.

"Too easy." Electra said, when suddenly she was struck from behind. Inferna and Terra were standing there, staring at their sister that lay dying and their sister that was already dead to them.

"Electra!" shouted Inferna "Stop this madness!"

"Not when I'm so close to my goal." replied Electra "with Icera out of the way, I'll be the eldest sister. Then I will be Prime guardian!"

"That's what this is about?! A title?" shouted Terra.

"She's mad" said Inferna.

"Then there will be no negotiating?" said Terra.

"No." Electra said.

"Then die!" yelled Terra as she opened her mouth and a green beam several feet long came from her mouth and a large green ball of energy formed at the end. Terra spun in a circle and the energy flail swung in a great arc and hit Electra in the face, sending her flying though a nearby wall too fast to watch.

Almost immediately however, Electra flew out of the hole and two beams of electricity came from her tail and, lassoing her sisters, she whipped her tail up as fast as she could, sending her sisters flying over the roofs and out of site.

"Now to finish her." Electra turned, but Icera was nowhere to be seen. "What?!" exclaimed Electra, noticing a trail of blood that went around her, she turned and came face to face with her sister.

"My turn." sneered Icera, and swung her tail blade with surprising speed and lacerated Electra's shoulder, causing blood to spurt and Electra to scream. Again and again Icera stuck with tail, tooth and claw. Electra getting bloodier and a red lake forming around both of them, then Icera went for Electra's throat. Her neck in her mouth, she bit down just hard enough for her teeth to penetrate, the coppery taste of her sisters blood on her tongue. Then she let go and Electra's slashed and torn body fell to the ground. Icera looked at her sister for a moment before falling herself.

Electra slowly got to her knees when a blue dragon, one of the current guardians touched down in the carnage.

"I saw what happened." said the dragon "You cannot guard your people if you attack your own kin."

"Why didn't you intervene?" asked the yellow dragoness.

"It wasn't my fight." Was all he said. "If it were my choice, I'd kill you now. But the Prime Guardian just spared your life."

"The Prime…" started Electra, looking at her dying sister "NO!" she yelled and leapt at the blue dragon. She got part of the way there before he stood on his hind legs and all the ice liquefied and drenched Electra in at tsunami.

Electra got up shakily. "Go now." Said the blue dragon. "You are herby exiled. Do not return or you WILL die." Electra, weak from her injuries, turned and took off toward the south, leaving a trail of blood drops in her wake.

Icera meanwhile was fading fast. Her vision gone, the last thing she heard was "Get her wing and bring her."

When Icera awoke, she was in the medical hall. The ex-Prime Guardian, a pink dragon stood over her. She tried to move but couldn't.

"Don't move." He said in a deep voice, "Your injuries should have been fatal, but we got to you in time, My abilities combined with every healing spell we could come across are working, but slowly." "We put a confinement spell on you to hold you and prevent you from opening your wounds."

"Where are my sisters?" Icera asked.

"Inferna and Terra were hurt in the battle, but not seriously. They are running thing until you have recovered. Electra is gone. When you have healed, you will need to instill a new sense of trust in the people, Electra has put doubt into peoples hearts about whether there should even be guardians, but our clairvoyants have sensed something evil on the horizon of time and strong leadership will be needed like never before."

End of flashback


	5. End of one life, Start of a new one

"So when do I meet Inferna and Terra?" asked Cynder.

"You don't." Icera said, her voice cracking "They were right about the evil you see. At this time I had fallen in love with a strong, compassionate dragon, we had three eggs together. While we were waiting for them to hatch though, The Dark Master launched his Preemptive strike and chose the Midnight temple as his target. Me and my mate decided I would take the eggs and run while he covered me. He and my sisters fell to Malefor. I gave your egg and another to the Avalar temple and kept the only male egg."

"Oh, mom I'm so sorry." Cynder said.

"I told you, my names Icera!" she snapped.

"Ok, ok. don't bite my head off." Replied Cynder, slightly hurt by her mothers harshness.

[I think she's hurt by the loss of her mate and sisters and is scared of getting close to anyone.] said Spyro so no one could hear.

"I know." Cynder replied.

"What?" asked Icera.

"Oh, nothing. So what happened to Electra?"

"Well," replied Icera, "She wandered the world for several years before she heard of Malefors banishment and attacks on the world. Driven by a thirst for power and revenge, she sought out the Dark Master. After a decade of searching, she heard of Mt. Malefor, once there, she fought through hordes of the Dark Masters minions to get to the throne room. The Dark Master recognized her power and malice, so instead of smiting her, He let her do his bidding in return for power. In time, Electra fell in love with the Dark Master. Even though he did not, could not love her, He recognized that love was a powerful force and he could use it as a power source, but only if it was linked to him. So he took an ancient ritual from the dragonflies and Avalarans and married her.

"WHAT?!" yelled Cynder, The children shouted their disgust and left the room. Spyro puked.

"Yes." said Icera. "After that, Electra was completely under his control, and the Dark Master had more power than ever. Electra used a spell to change her color to a dark blue and changed her name to Byancyra.

"Around this time, the egg I kept hatched and I assume you did too. I couldn't name him though. I had found in an ancient tome that supersedes the dragons that one using darkness to corrupt souls as the Dark Master did, cannot touch a nameless soul. While Malafor used you to do his bidding, my son and I were forced into hiding in the snowy ruins of the Midnight temple. After I heard you had escaped Malefors clutches, Me and my son, Who I then named Sei because he was old enough to defend himself, went out to look for you. We went everywhere you were reportedly seen, but we never found you. We did try. We eventually had to give up and return to the temple. For years the only thing I could think about was Seis safety and where you were. A short while ago, I heard you would be traveling to Dragon shores and I waited here ever since."

"So I have a brother?" asked Cynder.

"Yes, but he's currently on a quest to find Byancyra. Once he does he'll come get me and we can all go and kill her."

"But why?" asked Cynder. "Why cant we forget she ever existed?"

"Because," Icera replied, "She is on the verge of finding a spell that will bring the Dark Master back."

"Well we have to stop her then!" exclaimed Spyro.

"Easy there, There will be time for that later." Cynder said "Right now we need to go home. "I need a vacation from this vacation."

They all met at the portal, Zoulu showed up first followed by Icera. Selena showed up a while after that with a large spellbook strapped to her back.

"What are you doing?" asked Cynder. "Isn't that moneybag's?" shot Spyro.

"Well he won't need it anymore, Pleeeease?"

Spyro and Cynder looked at each other [What do you think?] asked Cynder

[She's right, Moneybags wont need it and she needs to practice.]

"Ok." said Cynder.

"Yippee!" exclaimed Selena, doing a backflip.

Fever and Spyder showed up after a while.

"Where have you been! We've been waiting and waiting!" exclaimed Zoulu.

"Me and Spyder were talking." He replied.

"Are you sure that's all you were doing?" asked Spyro "I've seen how you act around each other."

"Dad we were talking, that's it I swear!"

"Ok…" Spyro sighed.

"Um… Spyro, Cynder" started Spyder "Could I come with you?"

"Don't you have a family?" asked Cynder.

"Well… no." said the black and purple dragoness. "I hatched in the wild. I'm lucky to be alive. Lately I've been hiding here, stealing money to pay rent."

Spyro sighed again. "Sure you can live with us. But you'd better make sure talking is ALL you do with Fever, do you understand?"

"Yes." said Spyder.

Then Spyro glared at her, "Ask Cynder, You don't want to see me when I'm angry."

One portal trip later and they were back in Avalar valley. After a short trip to the canyon, they realized it wasn't big enough for all of them. Spyro, Cynder and Icera decided to go to the Dragon temple to live.

First though, they traveled to the swamp to visit Sparx and Shimmer. A few days of flying later, they reached the swamp and had to land as they couldn't fly through the thick vegetation. After getting lost a few times Spyro finally remembered the path to the village he lived in so long ago.

At first the dragonflies were scared by the giant intruders, but after Sparx introduced them, things settled down. They got back to Sparx's and Shimmers dwelling, a tree that had been hollowed out by a long dead swarm of vulture-hornets for a hive.

"So what's new Lantern?" "asked Cynder.

"Well…" Sparx started, clearly irritated by the nickname. "Who's the white dragon?"

"My mother." Cynder stated. "Oooooh kaaaay…" Sparx let out "Anyway, I'm sorry Spyro buddy, but I won't be able to hang with you anymore."

"What?! Why?" shouted Spyro, scaring several dragonfly children playing nearby.

"Because," Sparx said, turning to his wife. "Shimmers pregnant."

"Wow! Congratulations!" Spyro said

"Whose Idea was it?" asked Cynder.

"Mine of course." Shimmer replied. "I had one tough time talking him into it, but he finally came around."

While the children and women talked, Sparx pulled Spyro over to the side. "Hey man, You need to go see dad."

"Oh yeah! I haven't been back like I promised! I feel so stupid! How are they?" asked Spyro.

"Well," Sparx said, "You know dragonflies don't live as long as dragons right?"

"Where are you going - no…"whispered Spyro.

"They just got old man. Mom died a few years ago and we don't think dads got much time left."

"DAD!" screamed Spyro and took off toward his childhood home, leaving Sparx to explain the situation to the others.

Spyro got to his old home and got down on his knees to get his head in the door. "Dad?" he called.

"Who's there?" a raspy voice answered.

Spyro located the source of the noise coming from the bed, His father lay there, his once vibrant blue skin and glow reduced to a pale imitation of what they once were.

"Dad, It's me, Spyro."

"Spyro? Son?" Flash whispered. "It's been so very long. Your mother would have loved to see this moment, bless her soul."

"Dad, I'm so sorry, I should have come back sooner!"

"It's ok son. Sparx told me everything that happened after you left and you have a family now. I understand. I just wish I could have made the trip out to see you myself. I know more about dragons now that I ever thought I would, I know you have just begun your life, whereas I've reached the end of mine. Never take a single moment for granted son. It could all be over in a moment… Treasure everything that happens, good and bad and put the people you love above all else. I can't do much now so take an old mans life wisdom."

Then Flash submitted to a fit of coughing which slowly got weaker and weaker until it stopped and what remained of his glow vanished.

"Dad? DAD!" Spyro cried. Unable to see his adoptive fathers body, he pulled out of the old homestead and laid down and cried.

Sensing something big had happened, Cynder left the children with Icera and Shimmer to go find Spyro. Once she found him crying, she called him "Spyro?" when he didn't answer, she walked over to him and touched him with a wingtip and felt what he felt without even having to focus mana. "Oh Spyro…" she said and laid with him and let his emotions flood into her, wishing she could take all of it and end his pain.

After a while, Spyro got the will to go back inside the dwelling and gently pick up his father in his mouth and carry him to the center of the village, there he laid him there for all to see. He had read once in human mythology kings and royalty were cremated. Thinking (If it's good enough for great leaders, It's good enough for this person who took in a complete stranger and raised him as one of his own.) and using the finest control of mana he ever mustered, enveloped his fathers body in brilliant white flames.

After that, he turned to his family and said "Lets go" and proceeded out of the village with the rest in tow.

They all flew off to the dragon temple and after a few days flight, arrived.

"Spyro, Welcome back!" exclaimed Terrador, A large green dragon with a spiked club on his tail who had become the lead elder after Ignitus's death. "What brings you here?"

"Our family has expanded a couple of members and we'd like to stay here." Spyro told him.

"Spyro, You know the dragon temple isn't a place for people to live. It's a place from which the elders oversee and governs their region, a place to study and a place to raise young dragons without a home." Terrador could see their situation and could also tell something had recently devastated Spyro. "However, I do know of a place you can go. The artisan dragons have recently built a city that they named after their clan. You can live there.

"Really?" said Cynder. "I've been to cities before, but never lived in one."

Terrador led them to a Portal. "Through here is the Artisan homeworld. You can't live here I'm afraid, but I hope you come visit often."

This portal was different from others, the dragons could see through to the other side. "The artisans are master craftsmen," Terrador explained, "They have made a superior form of portal." The world on the other side showed beautiful castles, sprawling gardens and fountains of exquisite beauty. The dragons stepped into the portal one by one and instead of feeling the horrible sensations typical to most portals, felt nothing; it was as if they stepped through an archway leading to the next room. Once the last dragon stepped through, the looked in awe at their new home.


	6. A new home

A few years had passed since the events at dragon shores and the dragons were becoming accustomed to their new home at Artisan. The beautifully designed castles were comfortable and spacious and the surrounding areas had many things to do. They would still travel back to Avalar occasionally to visit the elders and various other friends. Sparx's son, Lumi was growing up quickly listening to the stories of his father and uncles adventures.

Selena had become quite proficient at magic and had already surpassed several of the adult spellcasters in the Magic crafters realm. She was currently there now, training with the old master who went only by the title "Sensei."

A bright flash illuminates the area as Selena and a wizened old gray dragon are thrown apart. "You know sensei; you still haven't told me what element gray is." "And you wont find out until you defeat me." Said the old dragon in a surprisingly deep and booming voice. "Fine then." Selena stated, her face serious all of a sudden. She started making a series of complex hand signals as she still had to do when performing a particularly complex spell. Suddenly, she vanished with a whistle sound and the Sensei was surprised when a whistle sounded behind him. (Too easy.) he thought as he turned and stared her in the eye. (Strange.) he thought. She wasn't paralyzed. (Wait!) he looked up just as the doppelganger dissipated to see Selena hovering above him, a massive ball of bluish-white energy held above her. (How on earth can she collect that much mana?!) he thought, quickly readying his strongest defensive spell. She threw the orb at him; it was comparatively slow, but just too big to dodge. As it hit his shield, he immediately felt his mana being sapped just from the effort of holding the shield. Then to his horror, Selena was on the ground performing a set of hand signs he personally taught her. "NO!" he yelled, but it was too late, the spell was already draining mana from him and transferring it to… wait, not Selena?! (Oh no.) he thought as he realized his own mana was feeding the massive energy directly above him. As his mana was about to give out, He dropped the shield and used his remaining mana to use his element power. His skin instantly turned to a living steel, the ball of energy crashed into him, he felt it hit but it did no damage whatsoever.

"The fights over Sensei. I won." taunted Selena. "You don't have any mana left and you revealed your element, which you said you would only do when I defeat you!" Selena was giddy with excitement at beating the best spellcaster in Magic crafter. She was so exited in fact, that she started dancing. The second her back was turned though, she felt the old mans Wakazashi he always kept on him against the tender flesh of her throat. "I may have no mana, young dragoness. But you still have much to learn." Sensei took the blade from her throat. "As do I apparently, how can one person have that much mana?" "They can't Sensei." Selena replied "I took that mana draining spell you taught me and altered it to absorb a small amount of mana from every living thing in the vicinity. I didn't take much from any one thing, but it adds up. You can just imagine how powerful that attack would be in a lush area like Avalar." "That may be young one, but they were not involved in our fight. Forcing them to participate in any way is morally wrong. It's no different than taking a hostage. It's powerful, no doubt. But promise me you'll only use it in life or death situations." "Yes Sensei. I promise. So what's your real name?" "That, young one I will take to my grave." Said the old dragon with a smile.

Zoulu was mainly concerned with having a good time and her training. "You never know when Sei will show up with news about Byancyra." She always said. Right now she was in the land burned by the passage of the Destroyer so many years ago along with her father. "Ok Zoulu, show me every technique you have." Spyro told her. Always eager to show off her rapidly growing power, she happily complied. Starting with a petrified tree, she let loose a series of lightning bolts that hit the tree at various points, blasting small chunks out of the tree. Then, with the mana regenerating effects of her fathers old armor he had given to her, She focused more mana and let out her signature lightning sheet move, blasting a horizontal line out of the tree. "That should have cut it in half!" she complained. "These petrified trees are harder than normal stone." Her father told her. "They have both the resilience of stone and the natural resistance to electricity inherent in wood. Zoulu was not about to give up though. She focused her next technique, used only once with no effect. She started making another sheet of lightning, but focused it all into a beam. The jagged yellow line tore through the air and obliterated the entire bottom half of the tree and sent the top half flying into a nearby pond. "Dang." She said. "If only Murtaugh hadn't used that stupid shield of his."

Then she went on to her next technique after a minutes rest. She shot a bolt of lightning straight into the clouds that were always present over the burned lands. A moment later, it came back down with tenfold strength and obliterated an entire tree. "So what else have you got?" asked her father. "Well, I picked this one up from watching you." she said. Then she ran between two trees and jumped in the air and curled up, she was completely suspended in mid air, glowing inside a yellow ball. The ball began crackling and suddenly, let out a thundering BOOOOOMMMMMMM sound and a disk of electricity flowed out that cut the trees and several others within range clean in half. "Wow, even mine isn't that strong." Spyro said, amazed at his daughters raw power. Zoulu came back down, clearly pleased with herself. "And I have one more." She said. She eyed a huge boulder, practically a hill in its own right. She faced it, pawed the ground several times, and took off at a full run. Several steps into the charge though, she became cloaked in a veil of electricity, her body becoming nothing but a streaked silhouette. Her speed easily tripled and she hit the boulder with such impact that the entire thing was reduced to sand. When the sparks faded and she could see her father, she had to laugh at his dropped jaw.

Fever and Spyder meanwhile had become closer than ever, often sneaking away to be with each other. Currently they were in one of Artisans multiple Mazes, seated in the center. "I'm glad your father finally approves of us." Spyder said first after a long bout of kissing. "Me too." Said Fever. Do you ever wonder if this is how other people feel, or if this is something special?" "Fever, I think if you truly like someone, you have something special already. They leaned in and kissed again, their tongues passing over each others lips before passing deeper, finding each other and exploring the inside of the others mouth. Their wings then entered the equation, first Fever folding his around Spyder, then Spyder folding her wings around his. In this new private enclosure, they deepened the kiss if that were at all possible, until they heard a noise. They jumped a mile and quickly broke the kiss and embrace to see who was there. It turned out to be another couple seeking the solitude of the maze, Spyro and Cynder!

"Well… ummm. Hehe." stammered Spyro. "This is a bit… awkward." said Cynder. "We'll just leave you two alone now. Come on Spyro" she said blushing. "Just promise me you'll keep it above the waist, Ok?" Spyro called over his shoulder. After they were alone again Fever turned to Spyder. "Well, that was kind of a mood killer." "We don't have to kiss you know" Spyder replied. "We can just sit with each other and look at the stars." "Ok!" said Fever, a little too eagerly. He wanted it to seem like he was masculine by overdoing on purpose to make it look like he was looking forward to kissing, when in reality he would like nothing better that to just sit with the dragoness that had his attention day and night. "I really like you." Fever said, immediately wishing it hadn't sounded so corny. "I like you to." Spyder answered and kissed him on the cheek.

Spyro and Cynder got back to the house and closed the door. "Well, THAT was just about the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me." Spyro started "Me too." Said Cynder "I'm just glad it wasn't Zoulu or we'd never live it down. There's still something I need to do though," "What?" asked Spyro. Cynder walked over and touched Spyro and sent over her emotions. Instantly, Spyro was flooded with the electric sensation of adrenaline and was turned on. "Oh…" "It's just, after what happened tonight, that would just seem wrong." Cynder said. After a moment of thinking Spyro remembered something. "You know, there's more than one thing you can use for that." "What do you mean?" Cynder inquired. Spyro hooked his wing claw around her wing blade and said "Follow me and I'll show you."

Icera mainly concerned herself with trying to get to know her daughter and waiting for Sei to return. She walked up to Spyro and Cynder one day, "Cynder, Spyro I have some good news and bad news." "Ok, let's hear it." Cynder said. "Well first the bad news. Sei won't be able to join us, In order to get closer to Byancyra; he has infiltrated her ranks as a spy. The good news is he has a leave of absence shortly, so we'll be going to him." "Really? That's great!" shouted Cynder. When are we leaving Icera?" "As soon as your ready. Gather the children; I know they've been looking forward to this for quite some time. And Cynder?" "Yes Icera?" "Um…" started the white dragoness, clearly nervous "I want you… to call me, um… Mom." Spyro and Cynder stared at each other in disbelief. "Ok Mom." Cynder said.

Once they all gathered, they were about to go through the portal when Cynder said "Stop!" everyone did and looked back at her. "Cynder what is it?" Asked Spyro. "Spyro, I've been thinking a lot about this. The quest we're about to undertake is extremely dangerous and your fathers death made me realize some things. I don't know if we'll both come back so I want to ask you this before I lose the chance." She walked up to Spyro and got down on one knee. "I know it's not dragon custom but, Spyro. Will you marry me?" Spyro stared at Cynder for the longest time. Finally he said "You mean like what the dragonflies do?" Cynder looked up at him and nodded. "Cynder, I love you more than life itself. Nothing could ever make me change how I feel about you. Then He got down on one knee and kissed her. After a while they broke the kiss and Spyro said "Yes. I'll marry you."


	7. The final showdown

The dragons have been flying for days now, heading to the coordinates Sei had specified. Spyro was having doubts though considering they were over an ocean. "Are you sure were headed the right way Selena?" he asked. "Yes dad. If he wrote the message, than his aura will have stuck to the paper, which I can track to his current whereabouts, no matter how far." They were all tired when they saw something on the horizon, it was an island, but it was hanging in the air. As if that wasn't strange enough, it was upside down.

They got to the island and instantly felt as if they were flying upside down, so they flipped over and landed. Somehow, they were able to walk on the bottom of the island. It was as if gravity were reversed here. They wandered around until Cynder caught sight of a diminutive dragon. The dragon approached "Welcome, the master is expecting you. Right this way please." They looked at each other and warily followed.

They eventually got to the center of the island where a small house sat in the center. "Stop! Who goes there?" came a voice. "Sei it's me!" Called Icera "I finally found Cynder and her family." The door opened and a maroon dragon walked out. He looked at the crowd gathered outside his house, surprised by the large group. He looked at Cynder. "So you're my sister huh?" With that, he turned around and walked back inside, jerking his wing to signal them to follow. Cynder and Spyro held back to talk for a moment. [What is it with my family?] Cynder asked [My moms cold and distant and now my brothers a jerk!] Spyro just shrugged.

They got inside and the small dragon closed the door behind them and left. "You made good time." Sei said. He was a large fear dragon, capable of manipulating ones darkest phobias into physical manifestations and literally paralyzing his enemies with fright. He was a dark red, almost maroon. His belly scales, Wings, crests, tail spikes and horns were all bright silver. His horns also had a black ring around the middle. His wings had two claws on each wing; His tail had multiple spikes coming out like a Stegosaur. His crest was a solid jagged fringe running down his back.

"So Sei, what have you learned?" asked Icera. "Well…" Sei started, but stopped, unnerved by the large crowd. "First, Byancyra is well hidden; only with my latest promotion was I privy to her location. She is actually in another dimension." Everyone stared. Finally, Cynder said "A what now?" "She has hidden herself in another reality. Have you wondered why there have been so many strange things happening these past few years? That blue creature that attacked you Spyro. Oh yes, Byancyra knew about that. I don't know how, but she arranged that to happen, feeling threatened by your children. She also altered Eragon Shadeslayers spell to hurl his brother to our world.

"Ok, I get how she's behind this, so how do we get to her?" asked Spyro. "Well, that wont be easy, there is a wormhole, but navigating one is tricky work. "I assume you've used a portal, yes? Well imagine that, but you have to actively decide where to go, or you could go into the wrong dimension with no way back." "And how many different universes are there?" asked Selena. "Well, there are two types, separate worlds, and alternate realities. Separate worlds are universes that have nothing to do with our world. There are approximately ten googolplex of these. That's a one with two thousand zeros at the end. Alternate realities are universes with our world that had different choices made, for instance, there is a world out there where Malefor defeated you two and destroyed the world. There is an infinite amount of these." Again, he got stares. "Fortunately, we'll only have to navigate separate worlds." He said. "That's good. I… guess," said Spyro. "So where's the portal?" "It's a week's flight from here" Sei said "We'll set out tomorrow. There's something else you should know, Byancyra has managed to get a hold of both power crystals." Suddenly Icera cursed loudly and ran out of the house, a few seconds later, it got bone chilling cold and they heard screaming.

They all went out to see what was wrong; Icera was hitting a nearby building as if she were trying to kill it. Spyro turned to Spyder, "If you would stop her please." Spyders eyes glowed whit and Iceras body was shrouded in shadow, keeping her from moving. Cynder walked up once it was safe, "Mom? Are you ok?" Icera looked up at her daughter. "We're all going to die."

"What do you mean, we're all going to die?" asked Spyro. "Icera turned her gaze to him. "The power crystals are objects of indescribable power. They were created eons ago by the humans." "The humans again?" said Cynder. "Yes, they aren't myth as most think. They were a highly advanced race, far beyond us. That was their ultimate downfall however. Their insatiable curiosity and greed led them to create two crystals; they were supposed to scientifically prove the existence of their god. When used however, they triggered a series of events that culminated in what they called Armageddon. The extinction of the humans. That was millions of years ago. The god, in order to prevent this from happening again, flung them to opposite sides of the earth. If one person ever got a hold of both crystals, they would have infinite power, they could do anything they could imagine and more."

After Icera finished, the other dragons were looking at her with looks of horror. "So how do we beat her?" asked Selena. "Oh Byancyra can't use them." Icera told them "There's a reason they didn't work for the humans. They weren't purple dragons." Spyro looked at her "Wait, what?" Only a purple dragon can wield the power contained in the crystals. That's why if she revives the Dark Master, there will be no hope for anyone.

The next day, they all set off for the wormhole, Spyro and Cynder at the rear, providing wind to make the trip faster. Three times, Icera had to freeze the water so they could rest. After eight days, they made it to the wormhole; It looked like a black whirlpool hanging in the sky. There was what looked like flying armored humans guarding it. "Remember how I said this is a link to all the dimensions? Well there's your proof. Mandalorians."

The men had blood red armor with a helmet that had a T shaped visor and an appendage coming off the top of the right side. They had packs on their backs that were spewing fire, with a spike of some sort coming out the top. They saw the dragons and lifted strange handheld apparatuses. The dragons were only confused before beams of red energy flew out of the weapons. The first volley missed, leaving behind the electric smell of ozone. The men stated firing again, this time though, Selena had the time too raise a barrier, causing the bolts of light to scream past on either side. Once they were close enough, Spyro got to the front and spat a firebomb in the center of the three men, the resulting explosion caused the spikes on their packs to go flying off, flying erratically through the air before exploding. Then he shot a beam of electric energy and swept it from left to right, hitting each man in turn causing their packs to start sparking, then exploding, sending each man too their doom in the merciless water below. Just when they thought their troubles were over, they heard a massive whining sound coming from the wormhole.

Something came out of the portal, it was Oval shaped with a vertical protrusion on the front, there were short extensions on either side and there was a glass bubble on the front where they could see a man inside it! The huge metal craft flew towards then and started shooting hundreds of beams at them. "I can't hold it much longer!" Selena yelled over the noise. Sei was looking around them, "Everyone split up and try to attack its rear!" After they had gone separate ways, Selena dropped the shield and teleported behind the craft. There were two cylinders giving off intense light and heat, no one else could maneuver behind the craft, as it would fly around at speeds even greater than Cynder could manage, Spyder tried to immobilize it, but it was too large. Selena then gave as much mana as she could spare to Spyder and this time it worked. The crafts glowing disks became shrouded in shadow, the craft then lost momentum and fell face down into the ocean, the disks exposed, Spyro unleashed a torrent of convexity, causing a series of explosions that blew the thing to pieces.

After another rest to regain most of their strength, they flew up to the portal. They stared into the endless vortex of light and darkness for a while, then Sei took the vanguard. "Follow me, follow my exact flight pattern, and concentrate on me." Then they flew into the portal single-file. Inside was sensory overload. Everything they could see was every color at once and anywhere they looked, they could see windows to other worlds. After following Sei a ways, they came to a window that showed a giant orb hanging in space, the orb itself was completely covered in magma, it was as is a moon had melted. Sei turned to them, "This is where she is now, a world called Mustafar. She has killed or enslaved any inhabitants of this bleak world and is using the massive amounts of heat energy to fuel her spell." He turned back to the window and put his hands on either side, the window zoomed in on the planet, to show a floating metal outpost, half destroyed with a huge tower overlooking the area. After Sei was satisfied, he flew through. One by one, the others went through, choking on the instant change in temperature.

Once there, they were instantly besieged by both lava plumes and a small army of men in white armor, they were holding weapons similar to the Mandalorians, but much larger. These stared to open fire immediately, loosing a storm of blue beams. Again, Selena put up a barrier, but now that she knew what type of energy this was, she altered the shield and it stood up much better. They were about to attack the men when they several craft take off from behind a nearby mountain, these craft were long and pointy, with a two wings that split into six one it was in the air. There were also several craft that were similar, but much bulkier with down turned wings and two pods protruding from the side. Spyro looked at the incoming ships. "Well this complicates things."

Spyro had an idea he flew over to Cynder and took her hands, "What are you doing?" she cried, "This is no time for hugging!" Then he sent over his idea "Oh."

The dragons began focusing their own convexial energy, then sent it over the link and intertwined it. The massive force of the energies produced almost made them loose control, but they held on. Suddenly they flew as one, still holding each other straight into the onslaught, strangely, not a single blue beam could penetrate the cloak of purple energy. Once in the center of the force they unleashed what can only be described as a convexial fury. A massive shockwave came from them, hitting the army and vaporizing the men, leaving a thousand empty suits of armor in its wake. The ships suffered the same fate, pilotless; they fell into the magma and burned. They flew back to a crowd of slightly shocked and impressed faces. Cynder turned to her new brother, "Lead the way." They flew off towards the tower, upon arriving; they found a massive set of doors with no way to open it. Then Spyder had an idea. She focused on the door and cloaked them in shadow, her eyes glowing white. Then using a power she was making up right then and there, wrenched the doors open. Inside was a huge room, devoid of anything on the floor. Words printed on the wall read "Hanger bay III". There was no ceiling, it just went up and up into the darkness. In the center of the room, stood Byancyra.

She was a dark blue color, with yellowish green wings, belly scales and horns, all lined with purple. Her top two horns resembled Spyros whereas , her bottom four took after the family. Her wing claws looked like scorpion tails and her tail had a conical spike on the end. "I'm glad to see you could make it everyone!" she said. "I'll admit, I was hoping the army would distract you longer, but It wont matter." "Not when I have these!" She had two crystals around her neck, one yellow, the other white. They were both clear as glass and about the size of a large grape.

"Give it up Byancyra!" exclaimed Icera, "We all know you can't use them!"

"Your right, sister." Byancyra spat the last word out, as if it had a bad taste. "I was simply pulling you around to make time for my master to get here."

"And it worked." Said a voice from behind them

"Spyro had a chill go up his spine, "No." he whispered. They all turned around and came face to face with Malefor himself.

"My faithful servant had given out false information you see." He told them, "We knew exactly who Sei was, and rather than have him executed, we used him to lure Spyro and Icera out of hiding, I've been resurrected for months now! All I need is for Byancyra to give me the crystals and I will be almighty!"

Then, the string holding the crystals vanished from around Byancyras neck and the gems flew toward Malefor. "NO!" shouted Spyro as he leapt up and managed to grab the yellow crystal, Malafor claimed the white one. "You have something that belongs to me!" growled Malefor as he started towards Spyro. They all started to attack before Spyro opened his wings to stop them, he looked over his shoulder, "He's mine, go get Byancyra." And turned and leapt at the Dark Master, turning into a flaming boulder and hitting him with massive force.

The others turned to face the Blue dragoness, "Time for you to die!" She yelled and fired blue lightning at them, Zoulu countered with bolts of her own that seemed to seek out and neutralize each and every one of Byancyras. Fever loosed a Spiral of flame and Spyder used her shadow flame barrage, both hit the dragoness, the effects combined creating a column of shadow fire that momentarily absorbed all light in the room, turning it pitch black except for a flash or two from Spyros battle behind them.

Once the light returned, Byancyra was still standing there, unharmed! "I'll admit, that was a fancy little move you had there, that almost broke through my defenses. Wait, where's Cynder? Suddenly Cynder burst from the ground under her in an explosion of shadow, raking her with claw and tail blade. Once in the air above her, Cynder pinned her to the ground with her wind breath, then started somersaulting, surrounded by green energy, She slammed back into Byancyra and flew off a ways to survey the damage. There was blood from where she had clawed Byancyra, but the poison attack did nothing. "Everyone! She's immune to mana attacks! Focus on melee!"

"We'll see about that." said Sei as the fear dragons body was enveloped by a crimson aura, suddenly, the aura took the shape of a clawed hand and shot out, enveloping Byancyra. He looked at the rest of them, "Now her deepest fears will become physical reality." He told them. They all looked in wonder as the blue dragon stayed standing, but started convulsing as if something was inside her and wanted out. Suddenly, the red aura vanished and Byancyras defense became visible as a white barrier covering her body, then it shattered, leaving her defenseless. "Her fear, it would seem, is powerlessness. She can no longer use spells. Byancyra looked from one of her adversaries to the other, now that she couldn't defend herself, She realized seven against one wasn't very promising. She turned and flew around a corner to escape.

They followed and found Spyro waiting for them, "Come on! She and Malefor went this way!" and he turned and started running down the hall with the others in tow.

They eventually came to another room, but this one was much smaller. They all stopped at the dead end and turned around to face Spyro, who was looking smugly at them. "Spyro, what's going on?" Cynder asked him. Spyro opened his mouth as if to speak, but instead shot a blue lightning bolt through Cynders chest, exploding against the wall behind her. Cynder fell, a hole clean through her chest. "Mom!" Screamed the kids, Sei was looking at Spyro as if he were a madman. Icera just watched her daughter fall, to her it was almost in slow motion. Then she looked up at Spyro. "How could you?!"

"It was easy considering the circumstances." Then Spyro arched his tail over his head, "Your turn!" He said and a bolt of blue lightning shot from his tail and lassoed Icera around the neck, electrocuting her and slamming her into Sei and Spyder, who in turn were thrown onto Fever, Spyder was thrown to the side and passed out but Seis tail was between him and Fever, they were both impaled. Zoulu and Selena looked at Fevers wrecked frame with horror and they turned to their father, but His features and color was changing, he was becoming feminine and blue. Once the transformation was complete, Byancyra turned to the two remaining dragons and shot two blue bolts from her tail and ensnared them. Then she walked over and pressed a button on the wall. A hatch opened on the far wall and Byancyra pushed them out over a pit of lava. "This is the end for you I'm afraid." She told them as she lowered them lower and lower.

Zoulu looked a Selena who had a wild look in her eyes. "Do something Selena!" she yelled over the roar of eruptions. "I can't do anything! It's like she's shutting down the flow of my mana!" They already had third degree burns, and just as they were about to drop into the lava, the bolts holding them were gone, they opened their burnt wings just in time and painfully flew to safety.

Byancyra was lowering the children into the magma and having a fun time watching them struggle and grow more and more terrified, just as she was about to put them in though, She heard a voice behind her, "My turn." and felt her sisters tail blade slice her right wing off. Her retraining bolts failed and as she dropped to the floor in a pool of blood, she watched the young dragons flying to safety.

Icera watched her sister bleed from the stub that was her wing. Icera picked up Byancyras wing , which had returned to its original yellow color and was covered in scars from their first battle, and threw it into the lave, where it caught fire for a moment before sinking below the glowing surface. "How could you be so heartless?" Byancyra spat. "Icera looked at her sister with a glare that was colder than her breath and said, "You and your husband made me who I am." Then Icera kicked Byancyra over on her back and jumped on Byancyra, her claws glowing with white energy, she dug her claws in, and then ripped them out, causing her sister to scream in pain and her final spell to fail, her color returning to yellow; dozens of scars marked her body. "Please, don't." Byancyra pleaded, but Icera bit her throat, coppery blood pouring into her mouth. She felt her sister convulse and then lie still. Then Icera jerked her head, snapping Byancyras neck. Icera then pushed her sister out to join her wing. Then she turned and ran out of the room to check on Spyro.

She arrived in the hanger and saw blood all over the place, Spyro and Malefor had long since completely drained their mana and had resorted to hand to hand combat. Malefor had his size to his advantage, but while not as agile as he once was due to his size, Spyro was still one of the fastest dragons around and could easily dodge most of Malefors attacks while delivering plenty of his own, though his nemesis refused to go down and still managed to lay the occasional blow on Spyro.

Spyro caught a flash of white coming around the corner and was distracted by Icera just long enough for Malafor to ram him with is head, knocking Spyro to the ground. Malefor pinned him and put his tail spike on Spyros throat. "Any last words before I kill you and destroy the world?"

"None come to mind." Spyro said as he whipped his tail up and hit Malafor between his back legs. Malefor fell over, groaning, and the tiny crystal fell from his grasp. Spyro picked it up. The two crystals started reacting, Spyro then felt his vitality return and covered Malefor in a torrent of flames, but Malefor was unharmed.

"You fool!" He said, getting to his feet, the crystals can only be used by a purple dragon, not to harm one!

"Then I have no choice." Spyro said, and he flew toward Malefor "If I can't kill you, I'll send you to Hell! And with that he A beam of black energy shot from the white crystal and a beam of white energy shot from the yellow crystal and opened a portal behind Malefor. Spyro then crushed the crystals so they could never be used again and flew full force into Malefor, sending them both through the portal which briefly showed it's destination, A burnt, charred land with sulfur pits, creatures of unspeakable horror and countless damned souls and a lone archway reading "Abandon hope, all ye who enter here." With that the portal closed forever.

"Spyro!" Icera screamed, running to where he had stood just a moment before, trying to find any way to open the portal, but of course, there was none. She then went outside to get Selena and Zoulu, Their family need serious medical attention and with time so short, it would be fruitless to search, so she arched her head back and shot a rainbow beam into the sky. A minute later, Selena and Zoulu were flying toward her, healed thanks to Selenas gifts. They quickly flew back to the tiny room and while Selena got to work on her mother, a pink mist surrounding them both, Icera took her time carefully extracting fever and Sei from Seis spikes. Once they were free though, the blood started flowing freely, Icera quickly froze the wounds shut and turned to Selena, "Is she stable yet?"

"For the moment, yes. How are they?" Selena replied.

"They need help now." Icera told her, so Selena begrudgingly left her mom, the hole still there but a cobweb of veins and arteries going through it, allowing blood to flow again.

After Sei and Fever were mostly healed, Selena went back to her mother who at that point needed care more than her brother and uncle. Spyder came to and seeing everyone was calm and Byancyra was nowhere to be seen, guessed the battle was over and went to Fevers side. Once Cynder was healed, Selena used a spell to wake her up, then went to finish Sei and Fever.

Cynder Stood up, "What happened, Where's Spyro?! I'm going to kill him!"

"Relax," Icera told her daughter, "Apparently Byancyra could shape-shift and assumed Spyros form to ambush us." Her voice catching on Spyros name.

"Where is he though?" Cynder repeated.

Icera looked down, avoiding her daughters gaze, "That needs to wait till everyone's awake."

After Fever and Sei were revived, Cynder wouldn't take no for an answer. "Where is Spyro?" she asked.

Icera turned and looked at them, tears running down her face. "Spyro and Malefor were on equal ground, neither on could gain the advantage and when Spyro managed to get a hold of the second crystal, It couldn't be used to harm Malefor, So Spyro opened a portal to hell and pushed Malefor in."

Everyone just looked into space, shocked at the devastating news. Cynder refused to believe it though. "But what about the crystals? There has to be some way to get them to work."

Icera looked at her daughter, "Spyro destroyed them so this could never happen again."

Cynder, tears running down her face started. "But what if-" "Cynder," Icera cut in "He's gone. I'm sorry."

Everyone but Sei was crying at this point so it was up to him to get everyone together. "Ok everyone, There will be time to mourn later; right now we need to get home." He gathered his sister up as she held him for support. He just held her there, trying to give her what little comfort he could. After a while, he guided them out into the heat of the planet and they took off toward the wormhole. Something was amiss though, but Sei couldn't put his claw on it, then suddenly it hit him. He turned back to the others, "Everyone hurry up, the wormhole is closing! We'll be trapped!" That got everyone's attention and they all took off faster than ever, the wormhole was indeed shrinking, as they flew through the tunnel, they could tell it was getting smaller and smaller. They finally saw the exit back to their own world, they made it out just in time, as the last dragon got out, it closed completely, leaving not a trace. They rested on another ice platform before sadly winging their way home.

To be concluded…


	8. The day hell breaks loose

It had been a week since the Malefors final defeat, Spyro had obtained two objects of unholy power and opened a portal to Hell, forcing Malefor through and trapping himself inside.

Spyros family was still in a state of depression, Cynder had to constantly fight the darkness, Icera and Sei had become more distant than ever, and the children had almost lost the will to live. Currently Selena and Zoulu were with their mother, grieving in a dark corner of Artisan. They hadn't had the will to move in three days, they were starving but just didn't care anymore.

Sei could be seen wandering the gardens from time to time. He was never very attached to Spyro, He was never very attached to anyone. He just wished there was something he could do for his family. No one had seen Icera since they got back.

Fever was in the center of one of Artisans several mazes, wondering if there was something he could have done to save his father when Spyder walked up.

"Fever?"

Fever looked up at her, then returned to gazing at the ground. Spyder sat next to him.

"Fever, I'm sorry about what happened, just remember I'm always here for you."

Suddenly Fever turned and put his head in her lap and started crying. "I should have been able to do something! We should have known that was Byancyra, not dad! Then we could have killed her and helped dad, maybe we could have taken Malefor together."

Spyder hugged him, "Fever, there's nothing we could have done, Things happened the way they did for a reason and couldn't have happened any other way. Fever, I wish we could have saved him, but you need to be thankful for who you still have."

Fever looked at her "I have you."

Spyder slowly put her head closer to his in case he didn't want to, then kissed him. "Yes, you do."

Fever looked away, "Spyder, there's something I've wanted to say to you for a while. I like you, but it's not the normal kind. I-I think I love you." He looked at Spyder to see how see took this confession and saw a mixed expression of surprise and happiness.

They sat there for a while, not saying anything, just staring at a dense group of stars in the shape of a dragon. Then, Spyder said "I love you too."

Fever looked up at her "Really?"

"Really." She said, then they kissed again. They broke the kiss and spent the night together under the stars.

The weeks passed, Cynder and her children came out of hiding to eat then went back to seclusion. Icera was seen now and again, but not often. Sei spent most of his time in the library, looking for possibilities that death isn't permanent. Fever and Spyder were much better since that night under the stars, but were still worse for wear.

The Artisan dragons had started preparing for the celebration of the summer solstice. Both the time when It's best to plant certain crops, and It was the time when day and night are of equal length, The solstice was also the time when the barrier between the physical and spiritual worlds are at it's thinnest. As such, the city counsel asks the spirits of long dead guardians for guidance. This celebration would be larger than most, because the heavens were like they will never be again. There would be a solar eclipse that day, and it was also the date of the planetary alignment. Each of these events had mystical properties, and no one knew what would happen when all these happened at once.

The day of the solstice came, but none of Cynders family went to the celebration. Cynder was in her room, watching the moon cover the sun and trying to forget the emptiness in her heart where Spyro should be. She looked away just as the moon covered the sun, the world grew dark and the moon had a blinding white ring around it. As this happened, a glowing blue dragon appeared. Cynder got up and blew a ring of fear at the dragon, intending to paralyze him, but it phased right through him. Then she recognized the dragon, it was Ignitus! He looked different though, he was light blue and silver with a large crystal around his neck.

"Ignitus! I thought you were dead!"

Ignitus shook his head "No young dragon, I left this world and became the next Chronicler. I've come to tell you something important. Gather your family and travel to the well of souls. This place was a holy site before Malefor and still holds some power; you must reach the top of the mountain by the time of the alignment at midnight."

"Why?" Cynder asked "What's at the well of souls?"

Ignitus looked out the window "The eclipse is almost over, All I can say is Spyro will need your help." With that he started to fade.

Cynder became frantic "What?! Is Spyro alive? Ignitus tell me!"

Ignitus, still fading moved his mouth but no sound came out. Then the eclipse ended and he vanished completely.

Cynder quickly gathered the children and Sei, to Impatient to search for the elusive Icera, released all of her despair and shot a purple black beam of convexity into the sky, the clouds began to swirl around the beam and formed a funnel cloud. After a minute, Cynder cut the energy, the clouds returning to their normal shape. Icera quickly responded to the dramatic signal.

"What, what is it?"

Cynder took off and hovered "Were going to the well of souls, there will be time to explain on the way come on!"

Icera and Sei looked at each other, then took off hard pressed to keep up with Cynder, the children followed.

Darkness had fallen long ago and they were all nervous about missing the alignment, they didn't know what was supposed to happen, but if it had to do with Spyro, they would be there.

The mountain had come into view a few minutes ago and they were almost there. They kept nervously glancing up at the moving stars they knew to be the planets, willing them to stop moving. But to no avail, they slowly converged, forming one bright dot in the sky. Suddenly, a beam of light shot from the planets and struck the well of souls.

"Were too late!" cried Zoulu.

"Wait!" said Icera "look!"

They all looked down to where the light hit the ground, a purple glow appeared. They all landed and looked at the glow.

Selena could tell instantly what it was. "Mom, that's convexity! The barrier between our world and hell is weak now, I think dads trying to break through!"

Cynder got an idea from that, and hit the glow with a convexity beam of her own, they could all feel space bending around them. Then, the glow disappeared and was replaced by a hole, they could see a horrible looking place on the other side. And Spyro was standing there on the other side, covered in ash,

Spyro leapt through the window into Cynders arms. "Cynder, I'm so glad to see you! I thought I'd be stuck there forever!" suddenly, he turned around and cursed.

"What is it?" Cynder asked.

"Demons. We cant let them into our world!"

Sure enough, they could see a flood of horrible creatures converging on the window.

As the beings drew nearer, Selena gasped, "God, their aura is as evil as you could imagine. Dad what are these?"

"Beings of pure evil and malice. Driven to do nothing but destroy and corrupt."

The demons swarmed out of the window and the battle began. Spyro used his fire breath to reduce a score of them to ash, then switched to earth and unleashed a fury, spiked pillars coming out of the ground like punji and skewering at least a hundred demons, who turned to smoke and dissipated.

Zoulu shot sheet after sheet of lightning into the mob and killed hundreds of the beasts.

Fever tried something he heard of his father doing and shot a firebomb into their midst, destroying a few dozen with each one. Spyder used her black fireballs to clean up whatever Fever missed. Together they cleared a path for Selena, who rushed in to the center of the crowd, then she stood on her hind legs, her body giving off a golden aura before a massive shockwave emitted from her body, killing hundreds of demons.

Iceras rainbow beam was causing mayhem, the beam shattering dozens of creatures and the ice shards killing even more.

Sei started glowing crimson and the demons fears became reality, a swarm of winged men that seemed to have an invisible light source shine on them descended from the sky with flaming swords and started smiting scores of demons. Afterwards, Sei entered the fray, shooting rings of fear into the crowd and attacking with tooth, nail and tail.

After a few minutes, It became apparent that the army they opposed was infinite. Just as they started to loose hope, the army retreated. Disappearing back into the hole. The winged men faded.

Spyro looked around, "but they were winning, why retreat?" then their question was answered as a man walked out of the portal. He was naked and had wings similar to Seis apparitions but were black, he had a maroon aura around him, and gave off a kind of pressure that made you want to avoid him at all costs. He stopped just outside the portal as the individual planets became visible again and the portal vanished. He raised his hands and clapped, "Good job dragons. I really enjoyed the show. I must thank Spyro personally for allowing me into this world. I will have to thank you by asking my master to place you in the least excruciating zone when you return.

Spyro looked at the man. "Who are you?"

The man bowed, "My name is Belial, second in command to Lucifer himself. I have been asked to destroy this world to make a second hell from which my master can invade the others. And I have you to thank for giving me the chance to get out."

"Well Belial," started Spyro "I'm afraid your trips gonna be cut short." And he drenched Belial in a torrent of fire. But Belial seemed to absorb it.

"Ha ha ha! I was born of fire!" and he held out his hand as a black spear that glowed white appeared in his hand. Then he rushed Spyro. Spyro used his newest element and turned his body into living steel. The spear glanced off without damaging his body and Spyro grabbed the spear and yanked it from the arch demons grasp, just as he was about to turn it around and kill him with his own weapon though, the spear turned to mist and reformed in Belials hand.

Belial sneered at Spyro "Nice try dragon, but you'll have to do better than that!." With that he reached out his hand and Cynder flew threw the air toward him, he just sttod there with his spear pointed toward her.

"NO!" Spyro shouted as he leapt toward Cynder, knocking her to the ground. Spyro turned to Belial, heat waves coming off his body "Do that again and I'll kill you."

"What, you mean this?" He raised his hand and Cynder, Icera, Sei and the children rose into the air and started screaming, then one by one they exploded, gore and bones raining onto Spyro.

Spyro stood there shocked by what just happened. Then it caught up with him. "They're all dead…" Then there was a flash and Spyro was enveloped in a dark fog, his eyes glowing white and lightning was arcing over his body. He spoke with a voice that sounded like a multitude speaking in unison. "How could you?! Everyone I cared for, everyone I loved, You will pay!!!" The ground began shaking, then it disintegrated as small chunks flew into the air and swirled around Spyro "Spyro screamed until his throat hurt then screamed louder, the sheer force of the energy coming off him carving the ground into a huge bowl. Belial stood there the whole time pleased that his bluff worked and shocked at the power this dragon possessed.

Meanwhile, Cynder was in tears seeing her mate in this much fury, "Stop it!" she screamed and ran towards Belial, but something caught her and threw her back to the others.

"We cant get through." Said Icera. "He's got Spyro in some kind of illusion, what ever is happening, he thinks it's real. I just feel sorry for him, to be put through something that puts him in that much grief. I think Belials plan is to get Spyro to kill us in a blind fury."

Spyro began giving off waves of energy, first they were purple, but they slowly faded to black. His transformation complete, the smoke faded. Spyro was a muddy shade of purple, his horns twisted and new wicked growths almost like armor grew from his shoulders and hips. His wings were black and covered in holes, his tail spike had grown into three twisted prongs. His eyes glowed yellow and his belly was black.

He turned his gaze to Belial and rushed him. He was incredibly fast, Cynder didn't even see him move. Spyro then hit Belial wit a paw and sent him flying into the air. Spyro immediately took off and flying so fast there were lines of steam coming from his wingtips, he easily caught up to Belial and grabbed his wing in his mouth, setting it aflame with black fire. Then he twisted around so fast there was a crack as Belials wing broke, he threw him down to the ground. Belial hit with such force there was an explosion that left a crater a quarter of a mile wide.

Spyro then dove to the ground, his body coursing with black energy and hit the ground with devastating impact, making a smaller crater with Belial resting motionless and broken at the bottom. Just as Spyro thought he had won though, Belials wing snapped back into place and his wounds healed. He flew out of the crater and loosed a blast of red energy at Spyro, which almost knocked him out.

Laughing , He swooped in and grabbed Spyro, pointing his spear at his throat he prepared to claim his prize. "Any last words dragon?"

"Spyro managed to look up at him and whispered, "Go to hell."

Then the spear came rushing at Spyro, but just before it pierced his skin, a column of white light came from the sky and hit Spyros dark form, throwing Belial back. Spyro could hear Ignitus's voice, "Young dragon, it is time to awaken the ultimate power of the purple dragon."

Spyro could feel the hatred and rage leave him. As Cynder and the rest watched, the dark silhouette in the beam of light slowly vanished, then the beam faded and they could see Spyro. He was back to his true form, but was glowing white with such brilliancy that it was hard to look at him.

Spyro looked around and saw Cynder and the rest alive and well. Realizing their deaths were an illusion he tuned his attention to Belial who stood there shivering in rage.

"You think you can beat me just 'cause you threw off my illusion?" and he shot another red beam at Spyro, it hit with an explosion of smoke. When it cleared, Spyro was standing in the same place, completely unnerved. Then he opened his mouth and the white that enveloped his body drained into his mouth, forming a ball of energy, he then released it, a beam of white light screaming across the battlefield and hitting Belial, He tried to hold it back but was quickly overwhelmed and torn into subatomic particles, his soul destroyed as well. The beam continued for miles, carving a U shape in the side of and vaporizing the clouds. The beam eventually faded and Spyro walked over to greet his family.

Cynder was the fist one to Spyro, Embracing him and crying, "I missed you so much! We all thought you were dead!"

"I'm sorry, it was the only way to beat Malefor. I missed you every day I was in that place too. I love you so much."

Spyros children swarmed him, telling him how much they missed him and how much they were glad he was back.

Icera and Sei hung back, not feeling they were welcome in the celebration but happy Spyro was back just the same.

Spyder, though not one of Spyros children, looked up to him as the father she never had and was just as glad as Fever that he was back.

"Come on." Spyro said "Lets get off this rock and go home."

Epilogue

Everyone was gathered at the great hall of Warfang, The Avalarans were the most plentiful, among them were Hunter, Chief Prowlus, and even the hermit had come out of seclusion for this event. Many dragons were also there, the guardians of the Avalar temple along with several dragons that had known Spyro and Cynder over the years. Even Ignitus had risked leaving the temple of time to see this. Many moles were there including the city counsel. A few dragonflies had even made the long journey from the swamp, including Sparx, Shimmer and Lumi, now four were there. Spyro was standing at the front of the hall with Sparx next to him. Spyro wore Black leg armor on the front and back, a sheet of black plate mail going from his neck down his back and a black helm that only covered the back half of his head. The armor itself was very simple, but refined with elegant lines.

Just then, the doors at the back of the hall opened and Cynder stood there, she wore armor that mimicked Spyro but was white with complex and elegant patterns etched across the surface, the main difference was that she also wore a whit veil. She walked up the center aisle, conscious of everyone watching her as she made it to her place opposite Spyro.

Hunter stood between the two. Glad they had chosen him to do this honor. Then he spoke.

"We are all gathered here today to witness a first. The joining of two dragons on marriage. These two have been through a lot and deserve this. If anyone here sees any reason why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."

The old hermit had a couple of reasons, but said nothing.

"Spyro. Do you take Cynder to be your wife, to love and cherish her, to care for her in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, till death do you part?"

Spyro had never been so sure of anything in his entire life. "I do."

"And Cynder, do you take Spyro to be your husband, to love and cherish him, to care for him in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse, till death do you part?"

Cynder looked at Spyro, smiling and tears rolling down her face. "I do."

Then I now pronounce you husband and wife. He turned to Spyro, "You may kiss the bride."

Spyro never got the chance though, Cynder took that job for herself and leapt into Spyros embrace and kissed him deeply, letting her emotions intermingle with his until they no longer knew who was who. Then they broke the kiss, turned to see everyone cheering for them, and walked down the aisle together, left the hall, and took off into the sky for a well deserved honeymoon.

The End

Icera, Sei and Spyder belong to IceCynder. Thanks for helping me write such a great story!


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